(upbeat music) - Yeah, so things are getting pretty bad.

I get it, it's hard not to feel powerless.

Either climate change is flat out denied, or you're told you can't use plastic straws.

Meanwhile, billionaires fly private jets on a whim to conferences to tell us how we should all live because of climate change.

But what if there was another way?

If you're like me, you want to do what you can for the climate crisis.

I love to travel, but I'll admit, it's not the best for the environment.

So to pitch in, I'm riding my bicycle with my buddy Greg there.

And I want to show all the great solutions that are already in motion across New York State, which is why I want to take you on a bicycle travel show, where we go from Buffalo to Brooklyn, and we're going to go right now.

This is "Rolling Thru."

(upbeat music) And I'm honored to have a special (foreign language) with the help of Slow Roll and Go Bike.

Hey everyone, woo!

Thanks for coming out!

(upbeat music) With the organizing help of Slow Roll Buffalo, hundreds of riders turn out every week for a group ride that take back the streets together, on two wheels, of course.

And organizations like Go Bike are on the front lines of making sure streets are safer and welcoming cycling back into the picture of modern American cities.

Kevin Heffernan loves all things bicycle.

He also loves how to make Buffalo a better place to ride.

- In Western New York, we really have built things out, so that you feel like you have to drive everywhere.

In Erie County, 30% of all car trips are a mile or less.

- [Pat] Yeah.

- Which is insane.

That's crazy.

People are hopping into their cars for everything.

- And Buffalo is a relatively flat city, so it's conducive for cycling.

- Sure, so we want to see more protected infrastructure for people walking and biking, right?

And that does cost money.

But you can do it cheaply too.

- Yeah.

- You can use inexpensive things like planters, plastic ballards, things like that.

But that's to build it out and when you build it, they'll come.

And that part is the culture change.

- Yeah.

- You know, you have to have people believe this is a cycling town.

This is a town where people like to walk, like to go for runs, things like that.

- [Pat] Yeah.

- And, you know, so many people are like, "It snows here.

What are you doing?"

Well, the number one cycling city in America is Minneapolis.

- Yeah.

- You know?

- It's where Greg's from.

- Yeah, so it certainly snows there, and yet, I was just there earlier this season and, you know, people were so courteous to everybody that they saw out being active.

When they were in their car, they hit their brakes, they gave you a wave.

So we can change that.

You know, it gives people that third space that they don't need to spend money to be in a place to see people.

- Mhm, they get outside.

They.

Right, and you convene, you find people you have commonalities with that you may not have otherwise found online.

But you know, if we want to be serious as a city about what we're trying to build here, we need to build better protected infrastructure.

There is a trend towards cycling in this city.

So that's the dream.

- I love it.

- And people have a lot of fun along the way.

- I would love to see that here too.

And I hope it comes soon.

- Yeah.

- But thank you for, thanks for talking to me today.

- I hope you guys have the most amazing ride this week.

- Thank you, I'm looking forward to it.

(upbeat music) A city investing in bicycles is investing in way more than you might think.

In fact, every single dollar invested in cycling infrastructure, a city's going to generate approximately $11 in return.

And these are societal benefits.

I'm talking things like health savings, reduced congestion, and increased retail activity.

Seamus and Denise from Slow Roll know all too well, which is what keeps them coming out week after week.

- And I think people are just hungry for connection.

And we're a segregated city, one of the most segregated cities in America, and bike is such a wonderful way to bring people together.

More than anything, I think just more of an understanding of each other and our city and its neighborhoods and then also just the conversations that are sparked when suddenly you're riding alongside people that you've never met and you really have to look out for each other, literally.

And so there's just a sense of connection there that is unique in a group bicycle riding.

- It's been a really wonderful journey, and I got involved and I got to meet all these people, and I got to really learn my city and the streets and the communities.

To me, it's all about the fact that all different people from all parts of Western New York who would normally never be together, are biking together every Monday night.

So we have young and old, we have all different shapes and sizes and colors, and our volunteers show that as well.

The importance of community and being together and working together, and it's really wonderful to see.

So my vision is to continue that but to also find places that we haven't been before.

I'm excited about going to new places and being a part of it and loving the ride.

And I see that all over.

You saw that tonight, people just waving at us because they saw our shirts on.

- Yeah, yeah.

- And that's what it's all about, our community, right?

- Yeah.

I just want to thank all three of you so much for talking to me.

This has been phenomenal.

I think this is a great way to kick off the show, and I'm excited for the city of Buffalo and the future of cycling here, and I'm glad to see it, I don't know, really blossom again.

The beauty of cycling is all the different things it can provide.

The health benefits and affordable transportation, it's obvious, but I think what is most important is the social connection.

Groups like Go Bike and Slow Roll are literally paving the way for what cities can look like on a fast heating planet.

Because yes, while biking cuts down on carbon emissions, it also gives us something maybe more valuable.

It reconnects us with one another.

On a bike, you're not sealed off like you are in a car.

You see your neighbors, you wave, you ride together.

And in Buffalo, the city of good neighbors, they already know how important that is.

(upbeat music) Today, Buffalo feels like a car city, but in the 1890s, it was built for bikes.

Don't believe me?

Jim Sandoro from the Buffalo Transportation Pierce Aero Museum can elaborate.

And oh boy, does he have some stories.

- And I trick road.

I rode 100 miles on an iWheeler from Buffalo to Erie in '72.

To be a wheelman of the new wheelman, you have to ride 100 miles in one day, and I did it.

I still regret it.

- My wheeler.

- My butt has not been the same ever since, but it was quite a ride.

- The museum showcases Western New York's transportation legacy.

It's got luxury cars, vintage motorcycles and bicycles, but it also shows a rapid change in how people moved at the turn of the century.

Before cars took over, Buffalo was the bicycle town.

By the 1890s, cyclists had helped secure over 90 miles of paved streets.

They lobbied city officials, and in return, they got safer and smoother roads, well before automobiles were mainstream.

All the cyclists that came together, they formed a bicycle club called the Buffalo Bicycle Club.

- And then they would take a ride.

They'd go to Angola, they'd go to a different place.

- Yeah.

- It was a club.

- It was more recreational?

- Recreational club.

And then the Ramblers started and these other, oh, we ended up with 15, 20 different clubs at the time.

And they would compete with each other, especially in the auditoriums.

- [Pat] Buffalo Bicycle Club, founded in 1879, makes it one of the earliest cycling clubs in the United States, shortly after the first club in Boston.

Buffalo was such a popular cycling destination that it was nicknamed the Wheelman's Paradise.

At its peak during the turn of the century, there were over 95 active clubs in the city.

The Buffalo Bicycle Club wasn't just about Sunday rides either.

They organized tours, races.

- We have a tough winter, so they'd be in these auditoriums going in circles, wooden tracks, and doing all kinds of things.

- So they're like velodromes as well.

- Velodromes, that's how really velodromes started with bicycles.

- Mm.

- Bicycle races.

- So like Buffalo's winters were, like helped pioneer.

- [Jim] It was pioneered.

- [Pat] Like track cycling.

- [Jim] Absolutely.

- [Pat] They even flexed their cycling dominance by hosting the first black world champion in cycling, the Marshall Major Taylor.

Major Taylor was one of the most famous athletes in America at that time.

And because of the city's wealth and paved roads, Buffalo was one of the few places in America that could support the immense logistical needs of this superstar.

Taylor was the largest draw for ticket sales when he came to Buffalo, yet, he still faced intense racism.

Many white riders in these local clubs tried to either box him in during races or all out tried to push him off the track.

Despite the racial barriers and discrimination he faced, Major Taylor set world records in short distance sprint events and won major national and international titles on the global stage.

So while racism existed in these Buffalo clubs, their organizing to bring Taylor there, help keep the city in the limelight as a cycling powerhouse.

And these clubs organized more than just competitions.

They were involved with political advocacy that helped shape the city's infrastructure.

- It was a big deal to start downtown where all the bicycle dealers.

Over 200 bicycle dealers in the 90s were in Buffalo.

- [Pat] Wow.

- It was a big, it was a big deal.

And so they started to pave downtown Buffalo and headed towards Clarence.

- [Pat] Mhm.

- It changed the world because other cities started to do the same thing, put in paved areas for bicyclists.

- Wow.

Basically, like, the diamond form of the bicycle hasn't really changed.

Why do you think it hasn't changed?

'Cause it is.

- [Jim] That's successful.

- [Pat] Yeah.

- It did the job, and it did it inexpensively.

It works.

It's worked beautifully and with a little variety and lightness and whatever.

And that's why George Pierce called his bike the Arrow.

It was light and fast and made a difference.

So with the flat lands all the way around until you get to the south, it was a big incentive for people to come here and then to go to Niagara Falls virtually flat.

And Niagara Falls is something we didn't talk about, but Blondin, one of the famous guys who went around did rope walks across the falls, had a bicycle that he took across.

- Wait, he rode the bicycle?

- He rode a bicycle early on in the 1890s, something like that.

- Wow.

- Oh yeah.

There were all these things were happening.

These bicyclists were coming from all over the world and traveling, and you're coming to a wonder of the world.

Why not ride a bike?

- [Pat] Yeah, and ride a bike across.

- [Jim] Across.

- [Pat] A wire.

- You make all kinds of world history.

- Wow, we're going up there tomorrow.

I don't think I'll ride.

- Well, you can try.

- Across the falls.

- You can try.

- Maybe if they give me a permit, we can try it.

- That's right.

- Buffalo was once one of the most bike forward cities in America.

And if you ask me, I think it still could be.

Bicycles are more than just a way to get from point A to point B. They're a way to move forward together.

After dragging myself from a deep slumber and cursing my alarm, Greg and I arise and head out on a beautiful morning.

(upbeat music) We're riding north along the mighty Niagara River, and we're not stopping until we arrive at a natural wonder of the world.

♪ Life goes 'round California ♪ Although we're only doing 24 right now, it's a 36 mile stretch that links Lake Erie to Lake Ontario, and carries nearly 20% of the world's freshwater on its way to the Atlantic.

At peak speed, the river can rush around 35 miles an hour, and those currents carved a gorge over thousands of years as the falls slowly ate their way upstream.

More than half of this flow is diverted for hydroelectric power, shared by New York and Ontario, and a treaty between the US and Canada even controls how much water spills over the falls, so both tourism and power needs are met.

It's powerful, ancient, and still forming the land right beneath us.

♪ Always on we go ♪ ♪ Woo, ee, oh ♪ This is the Niagara Falls that you know and love today, but it underwent a lot of changes to arrive to its final form.

Beyond the roar, the mist, and the beauty, there's a long story about who it belongs to, and who's tried to control it.

To tell me more, I'm joined by Mark Mistretta, who's got a really long title.

He's the director of the New York State Office of Parks, Recreation, and Historic Preservation's Niagara Region.

- You know, back in the mid-19th century, industry was king in the country, and around here with power, industry wanted to be here.

So this entire park, this whole area was heavily commercialized and industrialized.

And the general public couldn't see the park.

- And you'd have to look through, like peepholes, essentially, just to see the falls.

- Peepholes and pay a nickel, a quarter, whatever.

- By the late 1800s, much of Niagara Falls was locked behind these fences and factory walls.

Private companies had built mills, charged admission, and were choking off access to the view for the entire public.

Enter Frederick Law Olmsted, the famous landscape architect, who called it a scene of vandalism.

He feared industry would take over and hold it completely forever, so he and others pushed for public ownership.

And in 1885, Niagara Falls became the country's first state park.

- Frederick Law Olmsted, his whole career was about nature and the power of nature and being out in green space.

When he came here and he saw that this majestic space was being abused in a way to the point it was, he really felt strongly that he'd have to do something about it.

It's the public that followed Olmsted and followed the other leaders that really put the pressure on to say, "Hey, we have to stop this."

- So they created, in an essence, that original environmental action movement.

- Yep, yes.

In many ways, that was what started it.

And it was a remarkable time because that allowed them to start thinking about how can we restore this space?

How can we restore it to its natural beauty and wonder?

He did acquiesce a little bit by up out of the way building a few outbuildings, like a visitor center or some restrooms, but other than that, it was all natural.

- A little more rustic, like.

- [Mark] More rustic.

(gentle music) - [Pat] And for decades, it stayed that way.

- A big intrusion was when Robert Moses came in and built a parkway right through the city, right along the edge of Niagara Falls.

- [Pat] He loved to do that.

- Oh my god, he loved to do it.

And wow, it really did a lot of damage here, and that was not the intent of anyone, of Olmsted or any of, all the people that fought.

Anything I've said to this point does not diminish the fact that power is important.

It's how you do it.

Moving them down river a little bit is really what was able to harness the power and all the benefits you get from that, but also to get back to the park and to this wonder, this absolute wonder of the world, right?

When I came to this position, it was so evident that this balance of infrastructure to support nine million people.

- Yeah.

- Versus trying to really respect Olmsted's vision.

And I think state parks has done a good job with that.

Yes, we've built parking lots.

Yes, we've built some road infrastructure, but we have also taken away parking lots now, and by doing this, we're, and using Olmsted's principles, we've been able to restore the park much more closer to a natural setting.

Nature's a wonderful thing.

Olmsted was quoted, he said, "There's no other place like this because of that perfect combination of light and mist, temperatures, moisture, everything."

It's pretty remarkable.

And then I think, "How lucky am I?"

- Yeah.

- I get to work here.

- Every day.

(bright music) Today, the park is a bit of a contradiction.

It's part wild, park curated, but what matters most?

It's public.

Yes, Moses paved paradise by bringing roads and power lines, but Olmsted's idea that this place should belong to everyone, that still holds.

And the work done by New York State Parks Department, it's been thoughtful and extensive.

Now we can all marvel at this special place.

♪ Not that I care ♪ It was a radical idea at the time that something so powerful should belong to everyone, but I'm so glad they did, because now I can stand in this historic spot, and it's the only place in the park that you can stand over the river and look up at the falls.

Maybe in the hunt for climate solutions, we should look at what was done here at the falls.

The ideal is untouched nature, sure.

But a place like this, to just appreciate nature's wonders, deserves a global audience.

Maybe the wind is restoring these landscapes to a level Olmsted could accept, while being proud of the stewardship.

We double back down from the falls and link up with the route that'll carry us more than 300 miles to Albany, the Erie Canal.

It's wild to pedal along a piece of history that literally helped build the country.

When this canal was completed, it was transformative.

It completed a series of connected waterways that helped create Governor Clinton's vision of New York as an economic leader of the nation.

With New York City booming, the biggest port, biggest population, financial capital, the state suddenly had an engine.

With new access to the interior, people moved, especially new Americans, looking for work in the boom towns that sprang up across Clinton's folly.

Take Lockport, for instance.

Before the canal, it was a wilderness construction camp.

And when the canal opened, it was a city of 3,000.

It not only moved raw materials cheaper in an environmentally friendly way, it moved people and ideas, farmers, preachers, activists, dreamers, and waves of immigrants all streamed west, and in their wake, followed ideas.

Abolition, suffrage, utopian communities, new faiths, they all floated along.

No other canal funneled more people into the interior along with their languages, traditions, and religions.

And they would all go on to write the next chapter of the American experiment.

All in all, it's 32 miles we cover until we arrive to the next stop.

128 Walnut Street, Lockport, New York.

This grand brick building was once home to the Lockport Wheelmen, one of Western New York's largest cycling clubs in the 1890s.

Like the Buffalo Cycling Club, the Lockport Wheelmen, they were one of many cycling clubs across the country at the turn of the century.

In 1911, they built this clubhouse as a hub for their meetings, races, and tours.

It went through some history, it got renamed as the Tuscarora Club, and now it's being renovated.

And soon it'll be the Wheelmen's Inn.

For many of these club meetups, what started in the back rooms of taverns soon became lavish, multi-story palaces, part cutting edge garage, part social club and status symbol.

Back in the day, these guys were organized committed riders who advocated for better road conditions, smoother surfaces, and access for bicycles long before cars took over the streets.

These clubs came together to form the League of American Bicyclists, which is still alive and well today.

In fact, I have a call with their executive director, Bill Nesper, right now.

So I'd like to talk about the Lockport Wheelmen and other clubs like them and how they became the League of American Bicyclists that we know today.

- We were founded in 1880, the League of American Wheelmen at the time.

Since then, we've been the national organization representing bicyclists and promoting biking for transportation, for better health, for quality of life, all these things.

And we were founded originally by a league of bike clubs, so early bicyclists formed clubs.

I think today we're, at this point, we're a network of about 200,000 supporters, about a thousand state and local groups, but about 500 recreational bike clubs across the country that are still part of the league.

- Walk me through the evolution of advocacy with the league from back in the day to now.

- So, like these clubs, I think in a lot of ways, you know, they are a built-in part of American civic life.

And so cycling clubs, they weren't just about riding.

I mean, they were really about creating community and as we just, you know, talked about shaping public policy.

You know, I'm, you know, I'm a bike advocate, right?

So I'm in love with the, you know, where bikes can take you, but also the community that has formed so easily around, you know, riding together.

I think it is, yeah, it's a great way to get together.

It's a great way to, you know, it's a healthy activity that you can be outside, which is something, you know, we all really need these days for sure.

- For someone who might not know, why is equity so important to bike advocacy right now?

- Too many communities, particularly communities of color, low income neighborhoods, you know, they're excluded, have been excluded historically from transportation planning and oftentimes, these communities are the places where they have the most unsafe roads, the most incomplete infrastructure.

The biking movement is really about belonging in a lot of ways, you know?

And I think, you know, creating places for people to be together.

The bicycle is a vehicle for change, but it's also a vehicle for like creating community.

So there's all sorts of social outcomes, climate change, sustainability, economic development.

You know, the bicycle movement is incredible.

It's filled with incredible people who are really excited about biking.

They're really, I mean, you know, like we love looking at bikes, we love talking about bikes, we love, we love other, like getting other people on bikes, and like helping people go, you know, like talking to our neighbors and say, "Oh yeah, hey, are you going to ride on bike to work today?"

There are examples across the country of bicycle friendly communities of all shapes and sizes, rural, suburban, urban.

There's great examples of how to make bicycle friendly places where people can, you know, thrive on bikes.

- Leaving Lockport behind and heading toward Medina, the day is catching up with us.

It's later than we planned, it's hotter than predicted, and the gravel gets deeper on this stretch, enough to remind you that the tow path sets its own tempo.

And while my mule's name is not Sal, we do have 15 more miles on the Erie Canal, at least for today.

And I have over 600 ahead of me until we reach the end of the Empire State Trail, which seems daunting if I let myself think about it too much.

But there are more important things to ruminate on, especially from the past couple days.

Community, history, advocacy, but what stands out in my mind right now, I think is what would be on anybody else's, a big bowl of pasta, which is why we stop for dinner at Zambistro, a farm-to-table Italian restaurant in the heart of Medina.

In small towns, a restaurant like this can do more than serve dinner.

It can keep farms in business, culture in the community, and seasonal food on the table.

They work with local growers, build its menu around what's fresh.

But what does that mean?

It means fewer emissions, less waste, and a lot more flavor.

It's proof that fine dining doesn't have to be far away.

It can be sustainable and found right on Main Street.

By the time I've had a few bites, put some glucose back in my brain, I'm able to connect some dots in the past couple days.

It was a humble bicycle that carried us all the way from downtown Buffalo, up to Niagara Falls, and out here into quiet farmland.

Along the way, I met some new friends, I learned some history, and I learned about community building, and how a bicycle fits in with all of those.

And while there are still many miles to go on this trip, I'm proud of the 77 we rode today.

So the day ends with a smile and a sunburn.

Coming up on this season of "Rolling Thru," we work our way across the entirety of New York State, hundreds of miles, all by bicycle, Buffalo to Albany, and then down to the Big Apple.

Will my bike or I have a breakdown?

You'll just have to watch to find out.

(upbeat music) ♪ The farmer said good god, I've seen it all ♪